LABOUR faced humiliation last night after the equalities watchdog rebuked the party over its decision to bar straight white men from attending an event next month.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) even warned the Young Labour's Equalities Conference - billed as a one-day gathering for disabled, LGBT, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic members - could even break race laws.

Times Newspapers Ltd

The Labour Party may have broken race laws

The flyer for the Young Labour Equalities Conference

Remarkably, it is the second time in three weeks that the party has been rebuked by the EHRC after the watchdog launched a probe into whether Labour broke the law by offering cheaper tickets to black and ethnic minority members for a rally in the East Midlands later this month.

The watchdog said: "Barring members from participating in events or internal committee elections based on their self-defined race, sexuality, gender or disability, is unlawful discrimination unless it can be shown to be a proportionate way of addressing disadvantage or low levels of participation within party structures.

Handout

The watchdog has suggested Labour's event could be unlawfully restricting some members from attending

"We have written to Young Labour to ask them for their justification for these member restrictions."

The positions of women's, BAME, disabled, and LGBT+ representative will be elected at the Young Labour conference.

Heterosexual white men are not eligible to vote in the elections, as rules state only women can vote for the women's representative and only LGBT members can vote for the LGBT officer.

The election of equalities representatives cannot take place online as Labour does not have the relevant data on members' identities.

MP Andrew Bridgen alerted the commission

Most other positions on the National Committee are voted for using an online ballot.

MOST READ IN POLITICS

BENEFITS BLOW

TERROR 'SNUB'

BOJO BLUNDER

Boris in security storm after talking about Putin to Kremlin-linked pranksters

STAR WARS

PM warns Brussels we'll pull £1bn of funding after German plot to freeze us out

BEHIND BARS

Lags on day release to be paid to work in pubs when migrants leave after Brexit

WAGE WAR

Get the lowdown on the National Living Wage and the amount you are entitled to

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen last night told The Sun: "I'm pleased that the Equality Commission is looking into this and ruled it is illegal.

"I'm disappointed this is the second time in three weeks i've had to report the Labour party for breach of equality laws. Breaking equality laws is no way to increase participation by minority groups; equality laws are there to protect everyone."

The equalities watchdog has called for Labour to justify the decision to bar straight white men from attending an event and warned the move could be "unlawful discrimination".

Piers Morgan urges Labour to stop protesting against Donald Trump coming to the UK and to put Britain's interests first